ANCESTRAL ENDEAVORS A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE LAFAYETTE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY The Minutes of the February 17, 2005 Meeting The February meeting of the Lafayette Genealogical Society was called to order by President Earl Gates in the meeting of the Lafayette Public Library. After a moment of silence for our military, Earl led the society in the Pledge of Allegiance. Earl introduced the interpretive ranger at the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site in St. Martinville who asked for help in identifying an oil portrait of a lady purported to be Zelia Rousseau Mouton, first wife of Louisiana's first governor, Alexandre Mouton. The 1938 inventory at the park identified it as "Portrait of a Lady." There is no signature of the artist on the oil painting or the frame and there is no backing. It is felt that the painting was done c.1825 based on the 1830's day dress of the woman in the portrait. If anyone knows any information or documentation on the painting, they are asked to contact her. Donald Arceneaux suggested that the society might consider a pictures project tentatively identified as "Acadiana Image and Document Registry" to catalogue, identify and document pictures presented to the registry. One member mentioned that there is a 1976 bicentennial publication by the DAR or Colonial Dames of pictures of the early history of Lafayette Parish. Earl Gates announced that Daniel Bess has a collection of old cattle brands and would like to contact Glenda Schoeffler who had spoken to the society on cattle brands. Because of the large attendance each member and guest introduced themselves. Cindy Hoffmeister was introduced and she spoke on African-American research. Whether or not you have African-American descent, some of the following resources will help with all kinds of research. Following the Civil War the Freedman's Bureau was established and many different records may be found concerning people who were in dire need of help. Meeting attendees were then asked how they were progressing in their African-American research. One needs to start with the basic research. Start with yourself and go backwards. Then speak with ones oldest living relatives and focus on slave ancestry. Remember that slaves had no rights, no education , and were considered property so you may need to start with verbal information whether it is family lore, cooking traditions, location of residence, etc. Remember that state, parish or county lines changed. One needs to know the history of what was occurring around possible groups of individuals, community, parish, and/or state h! istories, not just the individual's history. At some point the slave owner must be identified. This may possibly be acquired from military (colored troops) enlistment records, unless they were a runaway. The 1870 U.S. Federal Census was the first census naming individuals by family names. The 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses did not identify relationships of people. Cindy has found some of the St. Martin Parish censuses lists the whole name of females. In the 1870 census if you find your ancestor, look at the family and families listed that lived around that individual. Look at property owners around or near that individual and treat them as if they may be the slave owner. In censuses search and eliminate every family name, then consider that the family may have moved. The Freedman's Bureau has a CD available that lists slave owners or plantations that individuals may have come from. There is an index but it is suggested that one go to the actual film for more informa! tion. The indexing of the Freedman's Bureau was a prison inmate project that developed over many years. On www.familysearch.org check white individuals on the same record. Slave owners may be listed. After you locate the slave owner, look on the 1850 and 1860 slave schedules to see if there is an individual within a similar age group. Other records to search are 1850 and 1851 mortality schedules, tax records, land/property records, probate/succession, and court proceedings. The Freedman's Saving and Trust Bureau has records of individuals who deposited savings following the Civil War. These records are part of the National Archives Group and the Family History Library; it is also available on CD. The Freedman's Bureau has more information on destitute individuals. It was a federal program considered to be the first welfare program to help destitute individuals acquire land to live on and cultivate. The Freedman's Bureau of Refugees and Lands has two types of records. One is Commissioner Records and the other is the Field Office Records. The Freedman's Bureau has a website, www.freedmansbureau.com. Both of these groups of records are available at ULL. The National Archives has sites available for research online at www.nara.gov. Other military records can be found about the Buffalo soldiers of the Indian War, the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. There is a research outline available at www.familysearch.org. There i! s a military website that contains a history of colored troops. The New Orleans Public Library has many excellent resources for Afro-American research. The Freedman's Bureau has some examples of legal actions. There are orphan records available. Check out parish and county records. The website http://www.ibiblio.org/laslave lists names and gives much information by parish and gives sources of records. South Carolina has a site that lists values of slaves. Pay attention to apprenticeship records from the Freedman's Bureau. Post-Civil War Land Certificates are available at the Heritage Library. Pay attention to nationality. DNA analysis may be helpful to connect individuals. African-American research is not easy but hard work will pay off. The treasurer's report was unchanged from last month. The 1975 newspaper obituary project is almost finished. The society publication has need of family history of all members as well as pedigree charts. Dotty Burleigh has reported that she has connected with her great-grandfather relations in New York State and has gone back nine generations. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. March Meeting: Thursday, March 15, 2005 Louisiana Room of the UL Library